I've read a lot of success stories and am motivated to lose. I'm wondering what has worked best for you out there who've tried a million diets and finally found success. Is it calorie counting, or Weight Watchers or Atkins, etc., etc?
I know it's different for everyone, but there may be a common denominator that I'm not aware of. Thanks.

IMO, it's calories in, calories out. The quality/nature of those calories can speed you or slow you (again, IMO), but for me the bottom line is the calories (including the expenditure through exercise). And the moral support on FitDay!

__________________Cassie

And now that you don't have to be perfect, you can be good.
-John Steinbeck

I agree with Cassie. You have to track and control your calories first. Exercise will also help but there is an old saying that 'you can't out train a bad diet'. What you eat and when you eat it along with the ratio of Fat, Protein and Carbs in your diet will effect how efficient your efforts are but every diet ever devised is based on achieving a calorie deficit. You just need to find the right balance that your body and mind can happily live with long term.

I have had body issues like most people but none of them were weight related and I had never had to diet in my life until I was diagnosed with cancer and piled on the weight through treatment and inactivity. Due to the specifics of my cancer, unlike most patients I gain rather then lose weight and to add to this 'weight gain' is also a side effect of just about every drug I am given to treat the cancer ...and yet to gain weight increases the risk of my cancer returning and therefore the need for higher doses of my preventative/treatment drugs with their weight gain side effects! So I find myself in a viscous circle.

I was gaining an average 1lb per week. I began by cutting out sugary and fatty foods, all the obvious stuff. No difference. I was able to begin being a little more active and then I cut out all of the white carbs (bread, pasta etc). The weight gain slowed by about half (0.5 lb gain per week instead of 1). I then began trying to calculate calories, my weight stabilized, a bit, with the odd 1lb coming off then back on again. After a few months of this I then found 'FitDay' and realised that I was still eating more calories than I had thought! By accurate calculation of calorie intake, and being able to increase my stamina and fitness levels to a point that I can now do a good 2 hour workout most days, I started to see the pounds coming off very slowly.

While correct calorie control and exercise do make all of the difference, for me, having my metabolism slowed by the treatment drugs is also a real issue. But this seems to have received a massive boost from drinking green tea and eating grapefruit for breakfast (on the advice of my nephew who is a personal trainer) I went from losing 4lbs in 3 weeks, despite ending each day with an average deficit of 2,000 calories, to losing 3.5 lbs in one week on the same calories and exercise count (as I don't think I could eat any less or exercise any more than I already am!)

It's early days for me but this last week does seem to have broken through some kind of barrier. Maybe it was just time for that to happen (as I realise I'm building new muscle which is heavier than any fat I may be losing) or maybe the green tea and grapefruit are working and have sped up my metabolism?

I haven't followed a specific diet. My main diet consists of mostly fruit, veg and salad, with either fish, chicken, omelet or cottage cheese thrown in, and the odd bowl of shredded wheat or whole grain toasted bread with marmite. Treats are 0% fat yoghurt with fresh fruit thrown in or pure fruit smoothies. I still like a glass of white wine or two and my strong coffee with milk (semi-skimmed) and I sometimes treat myself to a chocolate biscuit if I've really earned it that week! ...but they are all counted!

Most of my exercise is on a cross trainer (to music) which I love, with varying levels and programmes to mix it up, even crouching, leaning forward or back, or peddling backwards to use different muscle groups, usually for 1.5 to 2 hours. I sometimes also skip (or dance!) I then throw in a few sets of sit-ups and push-ups or bottom specific exercises as well as the usual warm up and cool down stretches.

I hope some of this helps!

I'm 46 years old. 5ft4in tall.
My start weight was 147.5lbs ...and gaining
Now (after 4 weeks) = 140 lbs
Target = my normal pre-cancer weight of approx 112-115 lbs
...and then to maintain this against the next five years of drugs treatment, which had been gaining me 1lb per week despite there being no change in my previous 'normal weight' diet, just less activity, and treatment drugs.

Thank you for that information. You are an inspiration. I've also heard about the green tea factor, but actually forgot about it. Fit Day has been so helpful to me - knowing the carb and fat count is great. Your diet sounds perfect. You're doing all you possibly can, by the sounds of it. Hopefully, when your treatment is finished, you'll notice a huge difference.

I have never been one to try any of the fad diets or gimmicks. I just let the weight pile on and did nothing about it. 5 years ago I was at my heaviest (that I know of) and weighed 276. I lost 20 pounds that year and then forgot about it. A year and a half ago I got my mind in the right place and knew that I did not want to turn 50 looking the way I looked. I joined a gym, started tracking my food and changed the way I eat. It is a life-style change for me. This morning I was at 215 and nothing is going to stop me. I have always been a single mom and never dated. What do you know, I've started dating!! But I truly believe that you have to find what works for you. I can't preach that my way is the best way. It is for me, but we are all different! Good luck!